In a device using a motor, typically such as a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle, a power conversion device is used to save energy. In such a power conversion device, a power semiconductor module is widely used. Such a power semiconductor module includes a power semiconductor element for controlling high current.
The power semiconductor element has a large heat generation amount when controlling high current. Further, reduction in size and weight of the power semiconductor module has been demanded and there is a tendency for output density to increase so that in the power semiconductor module including the plurality of power semiconductor elements, a cooling method thereof influences a power conversion efficiency.
To improve a cooling efficiency of the power semiconductor module, there is a power semiconductor module which includes a liquid cooling type cooling body, in which the cooling body cools generated heat of the power semiconductor element. Such a cooling body of the power semiconductor module includes: a metal base plate which transfers generated heat of the power semiconductor element; a heat sink joined to a rear surface of the metal base plate; and a cooling case which is joined to the metal base plate and houses heat sink, and has such a configuration as to be capable of circulating a coolant in a space in the cooling case through an inlet opening and an outlet opening which are provided to the cooling case (Patent Document 1). To the inlet opening and the outlet opening, for example, a nipple is attached, and an external pipe or an external hose is connected, respectively.
In a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle, a space for mounting the power semiconductor module is limited. Thus, there are cases that mounting the power semiconductor module and attaching to the inlet opening and the outlet opening of the cooling case the external pipe are not easy. Further, an operation of mounting the power semiconductor module and an operation of attaching to the inlet opening and the outlet opening of the cooling case the external pipe are required to be separately performed so that the operations require much labor.
With respect to a cooling member of the power semiconductor module, there is one which includes a connection plate at an inlet passage and an outlet passage to facilitate connection to an additional cooling member or terminal end plate (Patent Document 2). However, in such a cooling member, the inlet passage and the outlet passage are provided to a side surface of a plastic base having a top surface to which the semiconductor module is fitted so that the semiconductor module to which the cooling member is attached becomes bulky. Moreover, because the connection plate of the cooling member is not to be connected to an external pipe, easiness of attaching the external pipe has not been sufficient. Further, there remains a problem that an operation of mounting to a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle or the like the power semiconductor module and an operation of attaching to the inlet passage and the outlet passage of the cooling member the external pipe are required to be separately performed.